Steam-engine governor



(No Model.) A

G. W. BIGELOW. STEAM ENGINE GOVERNOR.

No. 310,363; Patented Jan. 6', 1885.

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GEORGE W. BIG ELOXV, OF NElV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

STEAM-ENGINE GOVERNOR.

EEPECIE'ICAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,363, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed September 1, ISS-l. (X0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE XV. BIcnLow, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Steam Engine Governors; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked there on, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, 1n

Figure 1, a face view, part of the eccentric broken away to show the shorter arm as bearing upon the slide; Fig. 2, a side View of the same; Fig. 3, a horizontal section through the bolts which hold the eccentric and slide upon the plate.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of governors which are arranged up- .ou the shaft of a steam-engine in direct c011- nection with the eccentric,whereby the throw of the eccentric is varied to adjust the speed of the engine, the object of the invention being a simple construction and one in which the governor may be readily adjusted, as more or less power is required from the engine; and it consists, principally, in an eccentric around the shaft arranged upon guides at right angles to the shaft and movable therein to give a greater or less extent of throw, combined with a pair of weighted levers hung to the platecarrying the guides in which the eccentric moves, their longer or heavier arm free, the shorter arms arranged to act upon the eccentric, with springs arranged to yieldingly resist the movement of the slide and eccentric under the action of said levers, and also in an adjusting spring combined therewith, by which the resistance to the movement of the slide and eccentric may be varied as occasion requires, and as more fully hereinafter described.

A represents the driving-shaft of the steamengine; B, the eccentric, constructed with, an opening, C, through it, in width correspond: ing substantially to the diameter of the shaft, but in length as much longer as the extreme variation required. The eccentric is made fast to or formed as a part of a slide, D.

On the shaft, in a plane with the eccentric,

is a disk or plate, E, made fast to the shaft,

and so as to revolve with it. On the face of this plate, adjacent to the eccentric, guides a are formed, between which the slide D sets, as seen in Fig. 3, the said guides being parallel with the longer diameter of the opening C, and so that the eccentric, arranged between the slides, as shown, may be moved diametrically on the shaft to increase or decrease the extent of, the throw of the eccentric, as occasion may require. The eccentric is supported upon the plate E by bolts F E, which extend through slots in the plate E, and which hold the eccentric to its place, yet permit its diametrical movement in the direction of its throw.

On the plate E two levers are hung, one at each side, upon pivots 6. Their longer arm G terminates in a weight, 11. Their shorter arm I extends inward over that end of the slide D which" is on the side of the longest radius of the eccentric. At the opposite end of the slide helical or other suitable springs, L L, more orlessin number, are arranged, the tendency of which is to force the eccentric to its greatest throw, and as seen in Fig. 1. At the opposite endthat is, the end where the levers bear-a spring, M, is arranged, here represented as in theform of a semi-elliptic spring. It extendsover the end of the slide D and above the levers,one end supported on a stud, (Z, and the other on a like stud d at the opposite side. From the slide D aspindle, 0, extends outward and through the spring or so as to bear upon it, and is there provided with an adj listing-nut, f. The tendency of this spring is in the same direction as that of the springs L at the opposite end of the slide. This spring M is made adjustable by means of the nut f. If the power of the spring M be increased, it holds the eccentric to itsgreatest extent of throw with a greater force. If the force of the spring be reduced, then the power with which the eccentric is held at its extreme throw is accordingly reduced.

In operation the revolution of the shaf causes the disk E, together with the eccentric and the levers G I, to revolve with it. In such revolution the centrifugal force tends to throw IOO the weighted ends or longer arms G of the levers outward, as indicated in broken lines Fig. 1, and such outward throw of the armsG turns the shorter arms I correspondingly inward, and depresses or moves the slide D accordingly, and carries the eccentric with it, the throw of the eccentric being correspondingly diminished as the spread increases. The levers continue their outward movement and correspondingly continue to reduce the throw of the eccentric. If the speed diminishes, then the springs, acting upon the slide, force the weighted arms inward to correspond ingly increase the throw of the eccentric.

The springs,being adapted to a given velocity, will adjust the eccentric accordingly; but should a greater velocity be required, then the spring M may be adjusted to increase its power upon the slidethat is, resistance to the movement of the slideuntil the required velocity is attained; or should the velocity be too great, then the tension of the spring H is correspondingly reduced.

As the weighted arms turn upon their pivots they throw outward and upward, as indicated in broken lines. At the same time the slide moves between them, but downward, or to the opposite direction.

The slide D is heavier at the end opposite that upon which the arms I I of the govern ingdevers bearthat is, it is upon that side where the said arms work. Therefore as the weighted arms rise in their outward movement the heavier end of the slide descends or moves in the opposite d irection,thereby pro-' ducing a counterbalance between the heavier end of the slide and the weighted arms, and so as to maintain substantial equilibrium of parts in revolution, it being understood that the parts standing in their normal condition are substantially counterbalanced, and so that in the revolution of the parts that counterbalance will be maintained irrespective of the position of the weighted arms, slide, or eccentric.

By applying the auxiliary spring M and making it adjustable, the velocity of the engine may at any time be readily varied, the minimum velocity being predetermined by the springs L L.

This construction of governor is extremely simple, is most effective in its operation, easily adjustable, and occupies but very little space.

I claim 1. The combination of the shaft of the engine, a disk or plate made fast to said shaft in a plane at right angles to its axis, a slide movable in guides on said plate and at like right angles to said shaft, an eccentric attached to or made a part of said slide and so as to move with it, a pair of levers hung to said plate to swing in a plane parallel there with, one arm of each lever weighted and free, the other arm arranged to bear upon said slide, and a spring to resist the movement of said slide under the outward-swinging movement of the weighted arms, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the shaft of the engine, a plate or disk made fast to said shaft in a plane at right angles to its axis, a slide movable in guides on said plate and at like right angles to said shaft, an eccentric attached to or made a part of said slide and so as to move with it, a pair of levers hung to said plate to swing in a plane parallel therewith, one arm of each lever weighted and free, the other arm arranged to bear upon said slide, a spring to resist the movement of said slide under the outwardswinging movement of the weighted arms, and an auxiliary spring in adjustable connection with said slide, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the shaft A, the disk or plate E,fixed thereto and in a plane at right angles to the shaft, carrying guides a a, the slide D,arranged and movable in said guides, the eccentric B, attached to or made a part of said slide, a pair of levers hung to said plate and so as to swing in a plane parallel therewith, the longer arm ,pro\"ided with a weight at its outer end, the shorter arm Lturned inward to bear upon one end of said slide, and a spring arranged to resist the movement of the slide under the outward throwof the weighted end of the arm, said slide constructed with a slot to permitits movement in guides at right angles to the shaft, that end of the slide opposite the end upon which the shorter arms of the lever bear made heavier and so as to form a counterbalaneingweight, substantially as described.

GEO. XV. BIGELOXV. \Vitnesses:

JOHN E. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KnLsnY.

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